As the conversation over a Chicken Licken commercial heats up, the fast-food outlet confirmed it would appeal against a ruling which deemed its ad too spicy.

Amber Mackeurtan from Joe Public United Communications confirmed on behalf of Chicken Licken that it would appeal the ruling by the ad watchdog - the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB).

Sandile Cele had complained about the commercial for the Big John burger.

He argued that it "makes a mockery of the struggles of African people against colonisation by Europeans in general, and the persecutions suffered at the hands of the Dutch in particular".

In the advert, a young man, Big Mjohnana, leaves his village in 1650 on a boat to satisfy his hunger for adventure.

Mjohnana eventually arrives in Holland in 1651, where he finds Dutchmen at the harbour. He greets them in tsotsitaal.

"Hola MaNgamla," (Hello white folk) he says, before telling them he likes the place and thinks it should be called Europe.

The ARB said in their ruling that colonialism in Africa was "traumatic", "cannot be trivialised in any manner" and is "not open for humorous exploitation".

But Chicken Licken disagreed: "The commercial ... shows South Africans that Chicken Licken believes this country has all the potential to conquer the world and rewrite history from an African perspective."

ARB CEO Gail Schimmel said Chicken Licken had 10 days to respond but expected it would be considered only after the holidays on January 3.

Cele will have 10 days to decide if he will turn the other cheek and walk away or respond before the matter is set down for an appeal hearing.